Tap Into the Wisdom of Your Body

In our modern age, most people view themselves as entirely separate beings from other humans, while also considering the mind, body, and spirit as distinct entities with little relation to each other. As a result, many of us go through life feeling disconnected from others and even from our own bodies.

According to Richard Strozzi-Heckler, our guest in Episode 97 of The MINDSet Game® podcast, this sense of disconnectedness can cause a variety of problems, ranging from a diminished ability to lead others to some of the most profound threats facing humanity today. 

Born out of his lifelong interest in psychology, spirituality, and martial arts, Richard has made it his mission to help leaders achieve true transformation in their organizations and the world at large. Considered a pioneer in bringing somatics and embodiment practices to various industries, as well as the military and international peace work, he is the founder of the Strozzi Institute and the author of nine books. In this episode, Richard discusses concepts including somatics, embodied leadership, and why they are important. 

What is somatics?

Somatics is the art and science of the “soma,” a Greek word that refers to the living body in its wholeness. Richard explains that in ancient times, people did not draw a distinction between the mind, body, and spirit as we tend to do now. Instead, they were all considered to exist within the soma, which contained all of a person’s thinking, sensing, and feeling experiences.

Why is it important to understand the concept of the soma?

Richard believes that most people today have become out of touch with their bodies, their sense of feeling, and the core animating energy that moves through them – which has led to feeling a lack of connection to others as well. Therefore, it has become easier for people to lack empathy for others, to feel apathetic about challenges facing humanity and the planet, and to respond to conflict with aggression or even violence. 

What is embodiment and embodied leadership?

Embodiment stems from the realization that the concept of a separate self is a fallacy – in reality, we are all deeply connected. To become an embodied leader, it’s essential to restore the connection between your own mind, body, and spirit, and to strive to build real, authentic relationships with those around you. 

Through the Strozzi Institute, Richard has introduced numerous different ideas and practices to help individuals achieve embodied leadership. One of these practices involves making a verbal declaration stating that “I am a commitment” to something you’re seeking to create. This is designed to be more powerful than a simple statement: it is an embodied speech act that others will be able to connect with. Another practice is a powerful centering exercise that Richard guides us through in the episode, which you can use at any time to become more present, open, and connected.

What are conditioned tendencies? 

Another benefit of somatics is that it can help us become more aware of our own conditioned tendencies, which are the reactions or ways of behaving that we’ve developed over time in response to real or perceived threats. The problem with these conditioned tendencies is that they can take us away from our center, causing us to be less present and to act out of reaction rather than choice. Through somatics, we can become aware of conditioned tendencies arising in the body and work on reversing those that are no longer serving us. 

To learn more about Richard and embodied leadership, visit https://strozziinstitute.com.